Wrap around couch cushion end barrier for infants

ABSTRACT

The device comprises a tubular shaped cushion (or pillow) encased in a cover having a pair of opposed flaps for wrapping about a cushion and connecting to one another. The tubular cushion would be situated perpendicular to a front, free edge of the cushion so as to prevent a child from accidentally rolling off that edge and onto the floor below. For fuller cleaning, the cushion within that tubular component can be removed for washing the exterior and replaced/reinstalled thereafter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a perfection of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/806,256, filed Mar. 28, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to infant positioning safety devices. Particularly, this invention relates to a reusable cushion for preventing an infant from accidentally rolling off the forward edge of a typical adult couch or chair.

When watching television in a living room or family room setting, it is not uncommon to take the newborn or infant along and watch them while the parent or sitter sits adjacent them on a couch or chair. It alleviates the need to bring the carrier, stroller, rocker or crib into the room for a temporary “visit”.

Unfortunately, infants naturally squirm and/or roll about and can easily escape the safety grasp of the supervising parent/sitter especially when the “adult” is distracted by watching television, eating or conversing with others in the room.

It is not satisfactory to take rolled up towels/blankets or other pillows and situate them at the end of a couch or chair cushion for keeping the baby surrounded and away from the cushion's edge. Infants can too easily kick away such safeguards . . . or squirm right over or through them. What is needed is a soft, secure (and preferably waterproof) couch/chair cushion guard that wraps around the cushion proper to prevent its easy movement or removal by a kicking baby.

2. Relevant Art

Numerous baby supports are known. A representative sampling include the double bolster support from Tan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,418, the wedge and pillow mat of Bridley U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,831 and reconfigurable support of Dombrowski et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,461. Yet another positioning device is shown in Rogone et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,787. Finally, there's the infant support/development apparatus of Fairchild et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,553.

None of the foregoing have the precise combination of features as the present invention, however. The left and right flaps, or wings of this concept (affectionately nicknamed the “Zoester”) are both triangular in shape with a rounded tip. Preferably, they are made from a waterproof material, such as Neoprene, for resisting stains from a gurgling or otherwise messy baby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

What is needed is a compact, machine washable barrier that fully surrounds a standard couch/chair cushion before securing firmly to itself. When in place, and duly secured to itself, this device cannot be easily moved by a kicking or squirming baby situated next to its caretaker on that same seating apparatus.

The device comprises a tubular shaped cushion (or pillow) encased in a cover having a pair of opposed flaps for wrapping about a cushion and connecting to one another. The tubular cushion would be situated perpendicular to a front, free edge of the cushion so as to prevent a child from accidentally rolling off that edge and onto the floor below. For fuller cleaning, the cushion within that tubular component can be removed for washing the exterior and replaced/reinstalled thereafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further features, objects and advantages will be made clearer with the detailed description made with reference to the accompanying visuals in which:

FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of the couch cushion barrier with representative dimensions listed thereon; and

FIG. 2 is a top perspective photograph of the barrier fully positioned on and about a standard couch cushion for showing its infant barrier capabilities.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the two accompanying FIGURES, there is shown a couch cushion end barrier device, generally 10, having an intermediate barrier component 12 between opposed flaps (or wings) that are intended to wrap about a couch cushion C, preferably adjacent one end of said couch that has a raised armrest component A for serving as another side barrier for the infant being placed onto a properly secured device 10. Preferably, that barrier component is tubular or columnar in shape and of sufficient diameter so as to prevent an infant from accidentally rolling up and over same. A minimum diameter of about 8 inches is necessary though a more preferred size would be 12 or 16 inches across.

A first flap end 14 extends from one lateral edge 16 to barrier component 12. That flap end has an internal connector strip 18 of hook and loop tape material (or Velcro) permanently affixed along its central middle width. That Velcro strip has a sister component 20 for first connecting about a couch/chair cushion, then connecting to opposite flap end 22 of barrier component 12. Note that neither flap ends are readily visible in the FIG. 2 view showing a barrier component 12 installed on and about a representative couch cushion C.

As shown, both flap end 14 and its sister flap end 22 are substantially triangular in shape. That is for efficiency of manufacture, i.e., a minimum of material needed for wrapping about the underside of a couch cushion and joining to itself. It is to be understood, however, that other flap shapes, including oval, rectangular and the like, may be substituted therefor or used in combination with a triangular flap (either 14 or 22). Ideally, both flap ends should be made from a non-slip material, such as Neoprin, so as to not move unnecessarily once wrapped about a cushion and joined to one another.

Between the two flap ends, there is an intermediate section of comfortable resting surface 24 onto which an infant is placed. One representative section is rectangular in shape and made from a fleece cotton poly blend. It extends directly from the underside of barrier component 12, along lateral edge 26 that runs parallel to its opposed lateral edge 16. As shown, resting surface 24 is immediately adjacent barrier component 12, and flap end 22 extends from a far opposite end of resting surface 24. In an alternate embodiment, flap end 22 may be extra long and connect directly to barrier component 12 with resting surface 24 then lying (unattached) over a majority of the interior to that extended flap end 22, or be firmly attached to same.

As an infant is prone to soil his/her cloths and bedding, the barrier component 12 is purposefully provided with a zippered access 28 for removing the tubular pillow inside and rendering the outer shell to device 10 easier to periodically wash. Alternatively, a series of snaps or Velcro strips may be used in place of a zipper component. Regardless, that zippered access 28 should be located far away from any potential infant access when the device is duly installed. For that reason, zippered access 28 extends closer to lateral edge 16 and on the “far side” of barrier component 12. After washing, and drying to remove all baby “mistakes”, spills, drools and the like, from the outer cover, the tubular foam insert can be reinserted and the cover re-zipped to a closed position.

For best retaining the baby/infant closest to the supervising adult/sitter and between the back end of a couch/chair, the forward end of this device is provided with a wrapped insert “bumper”. As shown, this insert is columnar-shaped section and preferably made from a firm foam . . . wrapped in a soft material like the fleece, cotton poly-blend middle section that extends from one underside and covers the bulk of the couch/cushion on which the child is placed. Alternately, the internal “bumper” component (not really visible) may be an inserted, inflatable variation.

One representative resting surface 24 for this device is sufficiently sized at at least about 24 inches square. It is preferably color coordinated with the foam wrap component. For better aesthetics, this bumper and cover combination can be made available in numerous accessorizing materials, colors and color combinations. The manufacturers of such bumper covers may be able to provide customers with a color scheme customized to the materials/colors of their existing couch/chair configurations. Alternately, the middle section and bumper cover components may be provided with decorative surface patterns or formations designed to be attractive to the baby. They could possibly incorporate soft little toys thereon as well.

The invention can be used to lay a newborn or infant on the middle section with the covered columnar bumper either to the baby's left or right side. Having described the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims below. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An end barrier for wrapping around a couch cushion to keep an infant from falling over a couch edge, said end barrier comprising: an elongated tubular component in an external cover; a middle section on which the infant is positioned; a first flap component and a second flap component sized to fit around the couch cushion before securing to each other and about the cushion.
 2. The couch end barrier of claim 1 wherein the tubular component is substantially made from firm foam.
 3. The couch end barrier of claim 1 wherein the tubular component is made from an inflatable insert.
 4. The couch end barrier of claim 1, which includes means for removing the tubular component from the external cover for laundering.
 5. The couch end barrier of claim 1 wherein the first flap component and the second flap component are substantially triangular shaped.
 6. The couch end barrier of claim 1 wherein the first flap component and the second flap component include strips of hook and loop fastener tape for securing to one another.
 7. The couch end barrier of claim 1 wherein the external cover and the middle section are made from a fleece cotton polymer.
 8. The couch end barrier of claim 1 wherein the external cover and the middle section are commonly colored.
 9. The couch end barrier of claim 1 wherein the external cover and the middle section are provided in a plurality of colors to coordinate with numerous couch cushion colors.
 10. A wrap around end barrier for a couch cushion to keep an infant from falling over a couch edge, said end barrier comprising: a tubular component for storing in an external cover that can removed from over said tubular component for occasional washing; a middle section on which the infant is positioned; a first flap component and a second flap component sized to fit around the couch cushion before securing to each other and about the cushion.
 11. The wrap around end barrier of claim 10 wherein the tubular component is substantially made from firm foam.
 12. The wrap around end barrier of claim 10 wherein the tubular component is made from an inflatable insert.
 13. The wrap around end barrier of claim 10 wherein the first flap component and the second flap component are substantially triangular shaped.
 14. The wrap around end barrier of claim 10 wherein the first flap component and the second flap component include strips of hook and loop fastener tape for securing to one another.
 15. The wrap around end barrier of claim 10 wherein the external cover and the middle section are made from a fleece cotton polymer.
 16. The wrap around end barrier of claim 10 wherein the external cover and the middle section are commonly colored. 